Thursday, January 19, 2017

"The Time to Come" ~ Proverbs 31 Preparedness Series

"Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come."

~ Proverbs 31:25

To begin with, our family is not what you would call "preppers" but we do believe in being prepared. Not only is prudence spoken of many times in the Proverbs, but there are many other verses which support preparedness in general. As the days of His coming is getting closer, so will the calamities written of such as wars, famine, earthquakes, pestilence and so forth. As these birth pains occur, we may begin to experience more and more of these signs. As depressing as that thought is, it can be alleviated with some prudent preparations (and always prayer!). Here is where a Proverbs 31 woman might act in advance to protect her household. As keeper of the home, we are to consider our current needs as well as potential future needs. As the guard of our homes, we need to protect it from possible calamities within the boundaries of common sense. This is not a post about panic and fear but wisdom and foresight.

"Being prepared is a mixture of skills, knowledge, self-sufficiency, and good old-fashioned work... The pioneers and original homesteaders never referred to themselves as preppers, but they were both. I've heard it said (I don't know the original source) that not all preppers are homesteaders, but all homesteaders are preppers. And I have to say I agree with that..."

And I would like to add that (to me) a homestead is any home where the occupants produce goods on their own which creates their own domestic economy! You don't need lots of land, but a cultivating spirit to prepare for those "rainy days". Perhaps it is a stocked pantry, a thriving garden, knowledge of the old ways and the list goes on.

Many translations (ESV, NIV) of the Virtuous Woman share her as "laughing at the time to come". It seems like an odd verse. What time to come? To me it can mean the future. She has obviously invested her energy into her home. She has made warm garments for her household for those frigid winter days, she has packed her pantry and she has planted her fields (this can be a garden). These are all practical and doable measures of preparedness that we can achieve in our homes. After all, it has been done by our ancestors for years!

"It has occurred to me that I am only doing what every housewife did as a matter of course only a generation or two ago. She always preserved food for the coming year as it came into season and bulk-purchased staples such as sugar and vinegar. Our grandmothers did this not because they were paranoid, isolated survivalists, but rather because they had learned from experience that blizzards, crop failures, and epidemics happened. The prudent, prepared household prevailed. Others did not.

As the winter storms howl outside my window and the political, economic, and ecological news goes from bad to worse, I sleep well, knowing I can care for my family during times of plenty and times of want."

While we do not have the extra income to invest in buckets of freeze-dried foods, fancy food storage supplies and other helpful "prepper" materials, we are trying to accumulate at least a month's worth of provisions in case an emergency occurs. I would also like to be prepared with back-up systems for my household (i.e., cooking without gas, washing without electricity and so forth) and have other plans worked out in the case of the unexpected. What I will be doing will be general household preparedness that won't dip deeply into the pocketbook while still being a blessing in a time of need. There will also be some basic pantry building. We would love to share this with you in a series (probably a once a month "project" with pertaining printables).

This new series will share simple and practical ways we are preparing in case that "rainy day" ever does happen. The worse case is that we will have extra groceries, etc., in case our income is decreased in any way and our children will be learning along side us valuable lessons that can benefit their futures.

To begin, here is a printable cover page for this homemaking endeavor. I will be placing much of my information in a binder specifically for "the time to come". In the meantime, here are the preparedness articles we have shared thus far to get you inspired to start a Proverbs 31 Preparedness Binder:

The world of preparedness can be very overwhelming! To simplify it for myself, I will be using this very practical book as my outline (I am gleaning what is doable for a busy homemaking, homeschooling and homesteading mother):

Once again, this will not be a "hard-core" preparedness program but a sensible guide for the thoughtful homemaker on a budget. There are many "ordinary" homemakers like ourselves who feel this importance and are sharing their ideas and experiences that you may also appreciate such as Annabel at The Bluebirds are Nesting and Patsy at A Working Pantry. I also glean much from the Preparedness Mama (though her blog is solely preparedness tips). Being that this is the latest project in our household, I thought to share our journey too. I hope you will join us!

Your homework for the month:

Print out the cover page we shared (if you like) and place it inside the cover of an empty binder. You now have started your preparedness binder! (That is an easy start isn't it?)

Extra Credit:

Gather up some books on the subject and start reading! I would love for you to share your ideas along the way as we tackle different Proverbs 31 preparedness subjects!

33 comments:

Jes, I simply love this and thank you for the mention of A Working Pantry. You said it so well and it is what I am trying to do as well. I look forward to this series. Thank you for doing this as I too feel like this mindset is needed to be taught, I'm off to print my cover sheet for my binder! Have a great day!

Dear JES,I am following along with Annabel's pantries and preparedness series, and I just mentioned Monday that I wanted to start a preparedness binder! I am looking forward to your series and I can appreciate that it is geared towards the wife looking to provide for her family in an old fashioned way, rather than a "hard-core prepper" approach. There is nothing wrong with the latter, the former is just more my style and I like the idea of doing it gradually and not in panic mode! I think it is more sustainable long term and just generally a good way to live.I will be purchasing the bundle through your site today. It looks like it has so many good resources and things I will be interested in. This is one my husband will enjoy reading too. Thanks for letting us know about it!Love, Kelsey

Hi Kelsey! Nice to hear from you again! I couldn't have phrased it better.. . The pioneers had been living this way out of general common sense. It is sustainable and a good way to live. Also, thank you for purchasing the bundle through our link. It is much appreciated! :) And I look forward to hearing any suggestions you have on the preparedness series along the way!

One of the worst comments I've heard in my life was from someone who said there was no need to plan for the "what if" because the stores would always have what we need. Oh my. I'm glad there are those who see the reason to plan and that they share their methods with us.

Oh dear! If they had read the stories of the 2 women I listed above, they would see the truth of the matter. I think the stores have a 3 day food supply but in an emergency situation I think you have a few hours to get there before they are sold out...

HI Jes, I too have set myself a few pantry goals for this year so will certainly be watching for the rest of the series. There always seems to be something more we can do or another bit of knowledge to learn. Have a great rest of the evening.

Dear Jes, I will so love this series! Thank you for mentioning Bluebirds. Over the last two years I have come a long way and this year hope to achieve much more. Plus encouragement is a big thing. We will achieve great things together! With love Annabel.xxx

Hi Jes, Thank you so much for doing this! Like you mentioned, I don't have extra income to buy the all the freeze dried food, etc. and get a little discouraged. I feel like I need to be a good steward where I am and with what I have, so you have encouraged me greatly! I also love your definition of "homestead." I think many of us feel like "one day" I will do that, when many of us are *already* homesteading. :)Looking forward to learning more!Thank you for taking the time to do this. :)~Yvette

Hi Jes! I am so glad you will be doing this. It will be wonderful for others to know that we can be prepared in ways that are affordable. Not everyone can afford expensive "survival" foods myself included. It has always been one of my favorite topics! XOXOVicky

Hi Vicky! I am thinking this is the "Victory Garden Vicky"? :) I hope YOU will share your valuable knowledge along the way with us! I love this topic as well as I feel it is the sister topic to pantries which is a favorite subject of mine! :)

JES, what a wonderful journey for all of us to share! I so appreciate your approach to preparedness as a labor of love, which it is, rather than an exercise in fear and anxiety. Since I am just starting in this adventure, your goal in making everything doable and affordable is perfect. Although I smiled at your first "assignment" and the "extra credit," I really do need it broken down like this for me to get started! Otherwise, it can quickly feel overwhelming. I purchased the Back to Basics bundle today and can't wait to "dive into" this treasure trove. I am so thankful for the time and effort you faithfully invest in your blog. Nancy D.

Thank you for sharing Nancy! I can get overwhelmed easy also which is why I did the bite-sized portions :) Glad to hear you will be "joining" us! Also, I hope you enjoy the Bundle! There are a lot of goodies in there! I will be posting 1 final post later today -- "5 Things to Know if You Purchased the Back to Basics Bundle" that may be helpful for you to get the most out of your bundle! :) Happy learning!

I just love your blog <3 :) Thank you for sharing your wonderful knowledge and wisdom. In our homeschool we are reading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Our task is to have an emergency prep kit prepared/planned by the end of the unit. This series could not be more timely and perfect to help this wife and mama out!Blessings,Amanda

My goal it to figure out what can be adapted for apartment dwellers - not all of us have land for gardens (even if it would be under snow 6-7 months of the year) or other heat/fuel sources (several would be lease violations), etc.

One thing I have learned is that non-perishables are not limited to the kitchen/dining area; they can go under a bed or in a different closet - just be sure to note in your manual.

PS - I found another translation of your Proverbs 31:25 but I commented under the wrong article. Hope you find it :-)

I love you blog, it was sent to me by a friend. We live in town and have a small yard but have planted many fruit and nut trees, grape vines, and completely dug up the front and back lawns for two kitchen gardens. I'm learning to can and about various u pick farms near me. I fear not the future, but I love being prepared and homesteading. I will be sharing your beautiful and inspiring blog on you Channel Coffee with Kate where I encourage others to live simply, humbly, and sustainably. xoxox

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Welcome! A little introduction… I am an old-fashioned, Bible-believing, wife to my "one and only" for 20 years, homeschooling mother, who embraces her role as "keeper at home". We live on a 25-acre prairie farm.For fun… my three main earthly weaknesses (in no particular order) are coffee, dark chocolate and hardcover books. What about you? My hope is that this blog will inspire you in the arts of homemaking, homeschooling and homesteading. Visit here for 10 random facts about me... Have a beautiful day! ~ JES

"The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies. A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness. God sends many beautiful things to this world, many noble gifts; but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows in a mother who has learned love's lessons well, and has realized something of the meaning of her sacred calling."

"She (the godly wife and mother) is a mighty warrior queen who fights righteous battles at her husband's side and reigns with him over the home and domain God has given them as they work together for Christ's eternal Kingdom and glory."

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